What are the two most important issues in your ward? Why?
KEITH EGLI
Incumbent
Issue 1
Traffic and speeding issues throughout the ward. These issues arise on a regular basis as the city grows.
I have tried a number of programs and products to address the problem, such as the purchase of a speed board and flexible speed bollards.
I will continue to do this, as well as reach out to the community to work collectively on these issues. These issues are ward, or even street specific, and should be addressed in partnership with the community.
Issue 2
Merivale Road. This road offers a number of challenges going forward, from the potential creation of a BIA to addressing future development needs and concerns.
As part of the Merivale Density study, Coun. Chiarelli and I set up a Merivale Stakeholders group to provide input on these issues and it has been invaluable in shedding light on issues from traffic to roadway construction. If re-elected, I will continue to work with this group.
CRISTIAN LAMBIRI
Candidate
Issue 1
Property Taxes. The city collects a sizable amount of property taxes from Ward 9 and the residents would like to make sure none of it is wasted. We are continuously increasing taxes, fees and debt. That is not sustainable. Over the past four years taxes have increased every year and the current proposals are to continue to increase taxes for the next four. Not only have taxes increased, but also so have fees and debt. We are in a historic low interest rate environment that is bound to change. It will increase our debt servicing costs and put the City in a precarious situation. This will most certainly lead to an increase in the tax burden for residents if spending is not properly addressed. I believe we should be paying down our debt while interest rates are low, not increasing it so our debt load will be even greater when interest rates rise again.
If elected I will vote against any such increases. We must improve the overall efficiency of the City’s operations.
Issue 2
Traffic. Traffic congestion on Merivale, Greenbank and Woodroffe has continuously increased as our sister community to the South, Barrhaven, is rapidly increasing in size. According to the City’s own documents Barrhaven’s population will have the second largest growth of all communities in Ottawa. Yet the employment growth will be higher inside the Greenbelt.
It follows that unless addressed, the congestion on Merivale, Greenbank and Woodroffe will increase. Merivale is currently undergoing a densification study. Considering the current state of traffic on Merivale I would consider it a no brainer to have a traffic assessment as part of the intensification study. To my knowledge this has not happened. Proper planning and allocation of resources can solve traffic congestion. As it stands we are building LRT lines that end in the middle of nowhere.
I believe we should be paying down our debt while interest rates are low, not increasing it so our debt load will be even greater when interest rates rise again.